Things to Do in Somerville

Certified by the American Mountain Guides Association, the staff of climbing instructors at Boston Rock Gym teach torsos how to ascend altitudes with indoor-, outdoor-, and youth-climbing activities. The savvy instructors lead the way around the facility’s more than 40 ropes, which set the stage for both group and private indoor lessons, as well as open climbing sessions in which self-guided climbers reach for neon-colored handgrips while being supported by auto-belay devices. Outdoors, students learn to navigate nature’s authentic slabs during lessons and clinics that start with the basics and graduate up to advanced ice-climb maneuvers. Additionally, the facility’s youth programs cater to smaller grips and aim to boost self-confidence while preparing children for the physical-fitness portion of the SAT.

David Goldstein could be considered a renaissance man: he's organized skiing trips and city bar crawls, founded a murder-mystery dinner theater, and led team-building exercises—one of which focused on sharing his passion for chocolate. As this particular venture garnered public demand, he began traveling across the country to meet with chocolatiers and cocoa experts. In 2009, he returned to Boston and focused his findings and theatrical flair into sweets-focused tours—what he now refers to as his passion business.

Today, his team includes chocolate-experience designer Caitlin, two chocolate tour guides, Count Chocula, three pastry-chef chocolatiers, and a wine expert who teaches wine-and-chocolate pairings. The guides lead guests on walking tours and a cupcake crawl through three of Boston's historic neighborhoods, taking them to boutique chocolate shops, bakeries, ice-cream parlors, and a cosmetics company that uses chocolate in its products. In hands-on workshops, chocolatiers teach students how to form truffles, make fillings, hand mold chocolate, and package confections.

Strictly Sail Chicago, the largest indoor boat show in the United States, brings the sails to the stage for its 16th year at Navy Pier. With more than 250 global vendors, designers on-hand to answer questions, and a veritable storehouse of sailing gear, accessories, and hardware, watercraft enthusiasts will find everything they need to set aside their aquaphobic doubts and explore the beauty of sailing and the mysteries of sea legs. Sit in on one of the many seminars that are included with admission, such as Cruising the Bahamas, A Sailor Looks at Leadership, or Hey! Is That a Kraken!?—all of which are led by some of the world's leading sailors—then stop in at the sailing pond to re-create the Battle of Trafalgar with remote-control boats. Those who choose the membership option enjoy entry to the members-only lounge, which features a coat check, a cash bar, munchies, and Internet access.

If your body needs a guiding hand, let Rock City's certified Pilates instructors introduce you to one of the universe's most popular forms of exercise next to jogging and cow tipping. Through 12 matwork classes ($150 value), you will simultaneously stretch and strengthen your core (abs, back, and obliques) while using small pieces of equipment such as bands and balls to strengthen your arms, shoulders, shouldarms, and legs.

You'll get five adult group lessons, which convene in the evenings several times a week (click here to see the Boston schedule and here to see the North schedule). Schedule a ballet, jazz, or tap class to pick up where you left off twinkling your childhood toes, or start learning ballroom dance; it's easier to stay motivated and appreciate classical dance techniques as an adult, when waning Cinderella-fascination is compensated for by the twin feet of patience and discipline.

O2 Yoga provides a mind and body-calming sanctuary for benders and stretchers of all experience levels. Advanced Yogi Bears can reach the uppermost plateau in an advanced-level power class, while beginning Boo-Boo's can dip stiff toes into the peaceful, limbering world of yoga for the first time with a basics class. Those falling in the in-between can develop the strength and flexibility necessary to tame the tiger that refuses to leave their kitchen by dropping into an intermediate class. O2 also offers classes in astanga-style yoga, if you're looking for a change of pace from the classic flow of vinyasa.